Cases of Note

Google recently resolved its fourth case in four months, agreeing to delete billions of data records it compiled about millions of Chrome browser users, according to a legal filing. The suit, Chasom Brown, et al. v. Google, said the company had misled users by tracking their online activity in Chrome’s Incognito mode, which they believed would be private. Relevant here, individual plaintiffs brought this suit on behalf of two classes: Class 1, for Incognito users, and Class 2, for users of other private browsing modes. The grounds being invasion of privacy, unauthorized interception under the Wiretap Act; violation of CIPA; violation of CDAFA and intrusion upon seclusion. Since December, Google has spent well over $1 billion to settle lawsuits as it prepares to fight the Justice Department, which has targeted Google’s search engine and its advertising business in a pair of lawsuits. In December, Google resolved a suit with dozens of attorneys general claiming it strong-armed app maker

Case Summary Actor Jonathan Majors' ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari is suing him in federal court Tuesday. Three months after a New York City jury convicted him of assaulting and harassing her. Jabbari, a British dancer who is alleging defamation, malicious prosecution, assault and battery in the Southern District of New York. The suit claims that Majors physically abused her several other times during their nearly two-year relationship, the first time in July 2022. And she alleges in the lawsuit that since Majors was convicted in December, he has continued to attack her reputation. “When publicly confronted with Grace’s numerous allegations of abuse, Majors has called her a liar at every turn and very specifically claimed that he has never put his hands on a woman, with the goal of convincing the world that Grace is not a victim of domestic abuse but instead a crazy liar who should be treated as such,” the lawsuit says. In the court papers, Jabbari also alleges that Majors “has consis

Case Summary Almost three years ago,  Debbie Sisco and Marie Varsos  were murdered. Marie's husband Shaun Varsos, who had threatened her family and friends, hunted them down, shot and killed them. Marie was a tragic victim of domestic violence, and her sister died trying to protect her. My sister had the cards stacked in her favor to protect her. She contacted the police. She received a restraining order. She followed up with local enforcement for updates. She was surrounded by family, who advocated for her and provided a safe haven. She kept disturbing messages from her husband as proof that his behavior was a threat to her life. She even secured a firearm, which she ultimately used against him the morning of her death. However, she still ended up as a casualty of domestic violence. If Marie had these advantages, how great is the risk for other women who lack similar support, resources and advocates? In Tennessee, the  National Coalition Against Domestic Violence  estimates nearly

  Monday’s Supreme Court showdown in  NetChoice v. Paxton  and  Moody v. NetChoice  will determine whether states can forbid social media companies from blocking or removing user content that goes against platform rules. The state laws at issue also allow individuals to sue tech companies for alleged violations. The Florida and Texas laws are loosely written, but officials from both states say the laws will keep social media sites from unfairly muting conservatives and others. Social media platforms have insisted for years that they don’t discriminate against right-wing speech. Signed in 2021 by Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida’s  SB 7072  prohibits tech platforms from suspending or banning the accounts of political candidates in the state, with violations carrying steep possible fines of up to $250,000 per day. It also allows individual social media users to sue platforms if they believe they have been unfairly censored or “deplatformed.” The Texas law, signed in 2021 by Gov. Greg Abbott, m

Feb. 6, 2024 -- For many legitimate reasons, social media is often high on a parent's list of digital concerns. From online predators to privacy, there's genuinely a lot of questionable; stuff for children and teens to navigate. Enjoying social media wisely can also give kids a sense of connection, fun, and creativity. If a caregiver is involved in a kid's digital life, it prepares them for how to handle negative online situations. Talks about protecting privacy and being kind can go a long way toward a more positive social media experience. And if kids can avoid endless scrolling and comparing themselves to others, and instead focus on friendship and creativity, it may actually give them a boost instead of being a downer. Recently, U.S. lawmakers have accused Meta's Mark Zuckerberg and four other big tech bosses of having "blood on (their) hands"; allegations have surfaced that up to 100,000 children a day using Facebook and Instagram in 2022 were exposed to

Your Rights in the Workplace: Minimum Wage and Overtime Rules The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards affecting employees in the private sector and in Federal, State, and local governments. Overtime pays at a rate not less than one and one-half times the regular rate of pay is required after 40 hours of work in a workweek.  What is the minimum wage? The current federal standard for covered nonexempt workers being entitled to a minimum wage of not less than $7.25 per hour effective July 24, 2009. Additionally, most states have their own minimum wage laws that require a higher rate of pay. For example, the minimum wage in Illinois is $13.00 per hour in 2023. Employers must pay whichever minimum wage rate is higher. To find out the minimum wages in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, go to the DOL website . and select your state from the list. You can also contact your state labor department for inf

Hyundai Motors and Kia Motors America will compensate owners' theft-related vehicle losses. Case Summary Kia and Hyundai thefts skyrocketed because a viral TikTok video in the summer of 2022 showed people how to steal the cars with just a USB cable and screwdriver. And while the manufacturers made a software update available to owners, there was not a mandatory recall of any make and model related to this issue. Also, the update was only effective when the vehicle alarm is armed. The law firm Hagens Berman brought a national class-action lawsuit on behalf of the owners of affected vehicles in August 2022, and reached a proposed settlement in May of 2023 that covered roughly 8 million vehicles and is valued at more than $200 million.  Since May 2023, the companies worked with law enforcement agencies to provide more than 26,000 steering wheel locks to 77 law enforcement agencies in 12 states. The class action was enjoined by Governmental Entities and Insurers and sought relief for t